December 2025
The Craft of Clothes Christmas party, zero waste news, and some links you'll enjoy
Hi Everyone!
Welcome to the December newsletter, and a warm hello to new subscribers.
The Craft of Clothes staff Christmas party was a blast! It was only me there, as I’m the only staff. Catering was a breeze, no boring speeches, and the chickens provided the entertainment. I had hoped to wear my new jumpsuit (see further on in this newsletter), but the weather was hot and overcast.
It’s been another difficult year, 3.5 years in with long covid and still housebound. My world is small and life is slow. Yet some nice things have happened this year and I’m thankful for my family.
My sincere thanks to all for your support during the year. Ordering books, patterns, reading blog posts, and leaving comments and reviews have helped so much and I’m so grateful to be part of the sewing community.
New pattern: zero waste Humpty Dumpty
Are you teaching a child to sew these holdiays? Need to make a gift for a new baby? Want to make a fun cushion for the sofa? Humpty’s got you covered! Read more about this pattern here, and please enjoy 25% off.
Aussies: The Billy DIY toy kit, a collaboration with artist Meg Mader, also has 25% off and the Humpty files are included.
FREE pattern: jumpsuit
A very low-waste, one-size jumpsuit pattern, designed with extra length for curling up in bed. The free pattern is on my blog.
Books for Christmas
Aussies, the last day to order books in time for Christmas is 12th December.
I can gift wrap with a note from you and post it direct to the recipient.
In zero waste news…
Further developments with the UseUp software, a digital tool built for design teams to simplify and automate how much fabric a cutting layout uses.
Introducing the Eryn top, a new zero waste pattern from Alexis Bailey.
High Tea with Mrs Woo, a Sydney clothing brand, has made a zero waste garment from zero waste yarn. Using textile cuttings (offcuts) that have been stored for 10 years, they produced their first recycled yarn in collaboration with Dempstah - a Sydney–based textile design company, recycling Australian textile waste into spun yarn.
Some things you might enjoy
How designers are reinventing the necktie.
A mouse nest inside a sewing machine.
The Australian government has definitively ruled out introducing a copyright exemption for artificial intelligence companies training their models on Australian creative works. Will they follow through? Is it too late? They have yet to hash out the details.
The Pantone Colour of the Year for 2026 is Cloud Dancer (ie white).
Scissor lovers: a digital museum of professional tailors shears.
Iconic Aussie brand RM Williams has tripled their production with a new manufacturing facility just north of Adelaide.
Some lovely books have been published this year. I Am We Are Liberty by Ester Coen celebrates 150 years of Liberty. Bog Fashion by Nicole DeRushie recreates Bronze and Iron Age fashion from Northern and Western Europe (listen to a podcast interview with the author). The Look by Michelle Obama is a journey through her style evolution. Clare McCardell by Elizabeth Evitts Dickinson (interview with author here)
Anna Wintour just did her last cover for Vogue magazine. Her biographer Amy Odell discusses the top ten most influential covers.
A 100ft long cascade of more than 7,000 hand knitted poppies was on display at St Matthew’s Church in Richhill, for Remembrance Day. It looks absolutely stunning. Their facebook page has more photos.
Obituaries: Scottish fashion designer Pam Hogg, known for her eccentric and outlandish designs. Irish designer Paul Costelloe, personal designer to Princess Diana.
On the blog lately
A roundup of the past month’s blog posts from my website, lizhaywood.com.au.
Feel free to subscribe to my blog for weekly posts direct to your inbox, however, if you don’t need more emails in your life, I always do a roundup here.
Styling red trousers. Six ways to wear the red trousers from Sewing with Scraps.
Introducing Humpty Dumpty, a new pattern with 25% off.
A trio of jumpsuit posts: 1. Design inspo. 2. Progress update. 3. Finished!
The blog is going on annual leave this weekend, and will be back around the end of January.
From the blog archives
5 books that influenced The Dressmaker’s Companion. The books that influence us don’t have to be within our professional area, and the books we grow up with can make a big impression on us.
Sending Christmas and holiday cheers!
Liz x
This article comes at the perfect time! What inspire your amazing patterns? So grateful for your work.
Always so much fun to read and explore. Thank you.